Cries From the Wastelands
by Haunted Obsidian
Summary: An explosion rocks Central, leaving Ed and Al in its wake. A touch of angst included.


**Title : Cries From the Wastelands**

**Genre : Anime/Manga**

**Category : Full Metal Alchemist**

**Disclaimer : There's a long list of people's names I could give, but I won't waste your time. **

**Summary : An explosion rocks Central, leaving Alphonse and Edward trapped in the debris. A touch of angst. One shot.**

**Warnings: Angst, possible mild language, and blood. You've been warned. :D**

**Secondary warning : Totally pointless one-shot. ;p**

**Rating : T**

"You know I can't choose where he sends me, Al. I'm a dog of the military, remember?" Edward's voice cut through the chilly autumn air, the breeze proceeding to blow through his hair that very moment, casting a few stray strands in his golden eyes.

"I know, Brother, but you promised we could go back. It's been two years now. I…miss it," Al's woe-filled voice followed, emanating from the suit of armor that walked not too far behind his older sibling.

"We will, but just not now! Geez, Al, how many times do I have to say it? And why would you want to go back there anyway? It's not like there's anyone waiting for us…" the thirteen year old's voice trailed off, a hint of water in his eyes.

"Yes there is!" Al shot back indignantly, hurt in his tone. He stopped walking abruptly, crossing his steel arms across his chest. "There's Winry and A-"

"Yeah, Aunt Pinako," Edward finished in a dull tone and a roll of the eyes. "But they're not exactly waiting for us, Al. They both have lives of their own. We're not exactly included in their day to day priorities, if you know what I mean," he returned, his eyebrows narrowing slightly as he realized the sound of the armor clanking had ceased, causing him to turn around. "Hey, why'd you stop?"

"You know that's not true, Ed," he stated with a hint of bitterness in his tone. "I just talked to Winry the other day and all she could talk about was how much she missed us and how she wanted us to come home. Regardless of what you think, _they _do care about us."

"Yeah, that's fine, Al. You'll learn the truth when you get older," Edward quipped causally in his cynical tone, heading back in the direction of the train station. He stopped once more when he noticed that Al was still not behind him. "Come on, Al, we're gonna miss the train! Then Mustang's really gonna chew my ass off for that one! You know how he gets!"

"You promised, Brother! You promised!" Al exclaimed, uncharacteristically stomping one of his metal boots on the ground, anger and hurt laced through his youthful voice.

A small but noticeable smile crept across Ed's lips, a quiet laugh coming out as well. "Come on, Al. Quit acting like a little kid already and let's get out of here! We've only got a few more minutes!" he called out, one gloved hand going to his hip.

"I don't care! You said we were going to go back to Resembool, Ed. Winry's expecting us! Now she'll think I'm a liar!" the voice came from the suit of armor, arms still folded across his chest.

"Since when do you care what Winry thinks anyway?" Edward shot back, curiosity in his tone. "You know what, it doesn't matter. Come on, Al, I mean it! Let's go!" he yelled, his impatience getting the better of him. When he received no response, he tried another maneuver. "I promise we can go when we get back. Just this one mission, okay?" he tried, cursing himself for passing on his stubborn streak to his little brother.

"That's what you said last time! And the time before that! It's been three months since I even asked Brother, but you still keep pushing it off! Why? What's so bad that you don't want to go back? Besides, you even said yourself that your arm and leg needed retuning! I know they've both been giving you trouble for awhile now, and you know you need to get them looked at!" the intelligent suggestion emerged from the suit of armor, though only angering Edward further.

"My automail is just fine, Al! So stop with the kid act and let's go," he stated, apparently giving his little brother an order. Now in the average little brother/big brother relationship, it would more than likely be listened to. However, the two Elrics didn't exactly have what one would call an average little brother/big brother relationship, far from it, actually. Thus leading to the next remark.

"But that's what I am! Or did you forget, Brother? What, just because I'm in this suit of armor, you think that I'm not a child anymore? I am only twelve after all, or did that slip your _forgetful _mind as well?" His voice was starting to rise with each syllable, definitely not a good sign. "How about you go ahead by yourself, and when you actually want to go back _home_, you can come and get me!" he cried out before breaking into a run.

"Alphonse! Al!" Edward shouted, automatically in pursuit of his little brother. "Damn, for a hunk of metal like that, he sure as hell runs fast," he muttered to himself, the heaviness of the automail having a definite impact on his speed. He could try to deny it all he wanted in his usual Edward-like fashion, but the automail had been causing him pain for quite some time now. He was just too stubborn to admit it. As per usual. "Come on, Al! I'm serious this time! I promise! After this next mission, we'll go straight to Resembool; as soon as I give my report!" the thirteen year old yelled after his brother. From the looks of things, his pleas still weren't doing any good. "Dammit, Alpho-"

His shouts were cut off as an explosion rattled the street, the ground shaking under his feet. He would later recall that all he remembered was horrific amounts of dust and chunks of cement; but at the moment, he couldn't recall anything.

It was several minutes before he came to, darkness surrounding him on all sides. The pain wasn't immediate, but it was there, dulled in the back of his mind. It would only be a matter of time before he realized it actually existed, but he still had a few minutes before it would kick in. The only thing he could think of was Al, forcing out a voice that sounded hoarse and cracked, most likely from the dirt and dust that was swimming its way through his lungs.

"Al!" he cried out, his voice barely a notch above a whisper. "Al, can you hear me?" he asked, a cough starting in his chest and forcing itself up his dry throat and out into the open space, all six inches of it.

All he received was a slight echo, nothing more. The sound of his own distorted breathing caught his ears, but he pushed it away, not giving it much thought. He went to move, but soon realized, that was quite impossible at the moment. As soon as his eyes met the rest of his body, the pain kicked in, almost immediately as his brain registered the damage.

His automail arm was heavily damaged, the hand hanging limply, wires being its only connection to the rest of it. And it didn't help matters much that it was pinned right at the shoulder by an extremely heavy chunk of stone, the pressure making his chest feel tight and hallow.

He gave another cough as he glanced down at his other arm, a huge gash marking his slightly tanned flesh from just below his wrist and winding around his forearm.

The blood oozed out, slowing down just a bit, the skin ripped jaggedly. The pain in his leg forced him to lay his eyes on it, another gash only wider this time and even more disgustingly gruesome stretched from his knee all the way down to the bottom of his shin. He could feel his heart leap at the amount of blood that was leaking from the wounds, though the thought of Al quickly out shot the rest of them.

"Al!" he tried once more, sounding pathetically weak. "Dammit all," he muttered, struggling to push the stone off of his arm, though his flesh limb just wasn't strong enough to complete the feat. He felt fresh sweat bead on his forehead with every attempt, though each one ended in failure, only driving him more. "Al! Can you hear me? Alphonse?" he cried out, fear starting to make his voice tremble. "God, Al, say something!" he shouted, frustration closing in on him.

Another few seconds of silence passed by before he could hear a weak, "Brother?"

"Al!" his head shot up, a cry immediately befalling his lips as he laid his head back down, pain surging through him. "Al, are you alright? Are you okay?" he questioned frantically, straining to see in the dust and dirt that was still emerging.

"I-I think so," his little brother stuttered. "But I can't move. Something's holding me down," he answered, sounds of his gauntlets moving around through the debris ringing through Edward's ears.

"Oh, thank goodness. I didn't know what to think. Why didn't you answer me sooner? It's not like you can pass out or anything!" the usual angry comment came from the blonde's mouth, his voice still not as strong as it should have been. After a minute, he calmed down, his shrillness dissipating. "Well, at least you're-"

"Uh oh…" the quiet voice weaved through the debris, making Edwards's heart leap.

"Uh oh what? Uh oh what, Al? What's going on? Talk to me!" he shouted, emotion flaring through his voice, sounding as if he were on the verge of tears. "Al?"

"Brother, my chest plate…it's been pierced, but I don't know how far down, but I think it's close…" his voice faded, fear enveloping the space between them.

"Close to what?" Ed tried in his best knowingly-but-not-wanting-to-know tone.

"You know what I'm talking about, Brother. Don't make me say it," Alphonse whispered, his voice quivering slightly. A few minutes passed before the faint comment whittled through the air. "Brother…I'm scared."

His voice hit Edward straight in the heart, tears brimming at his already red eyes, due to the dust clouds. He could hear a little grunt escape his lips, forcing him to close his eyes tight and take the roll that he had assumed all their lives. He was the older brother, the one who had to take charge of things and not be afraid, even if he honestly was. But he still wasn't allowed to show it.

"Hey, it'll be okay, Al. I bet Colonel Bast- I mean Colonel Mustang is probably on his way right now with help. It's obvious he'll be looking for us when he realizes we didn't board the train," the thirteen almost fourteen year old piped up, trying out his best cheerful sarcastic voice he could muster.

"And that's all my fault," Al's voice came out in another whisper, more sorrow feeding the air.

"It's not all your fault. I mean, for all we know, the train could've got hit worse, and we both could have gotten killed. We're both still here, right?" he tried one more time, his patience starting to wear thin. He had a smile on his face, but his teeth were still grinding against each other in his mouth, he doing his best to remain calm, for Al's sake.

"Yeah, right." Another melody of silence passed before Edward could hear the metal creaking slightly, now feeling Al's soul-filled eyes on him. "Brother, you're hurt! How bad is it? Why didn't you say anything?" he asked, his voice rising again.

"Hey, I'm fine. Just a few scratches and a bruise or two. That's all," he lied through his teeth, knowing Alphonse was smarter than that. But he knew it wasn't his little brother's place to worry, not in the least. It was his.

"You call that a few scratches! Ed, you're bleeding all over the place!" he exclaimed, trying to move but stopping suddenly, becoming excruciatingly still.

"Hey, I'm fine…Al? Al, you okay?" he asked as casually as possible, though his voice still shook, he inwardly knowing that something was wrong. Very, wrong.

"Brother, I-I think it's touching my blood seal," the oddly calm tone met Edward's ears, his brother's voice surprisingly stiff.

&&&&&

The man's footfalls were drowned out by the commotion, oddly loud yet trained at the same time. He saw the other soldiers gliding past him, the feeling of running in slow motion teasing his nerves.

It had been a long night, and the events of the morning didn't help it one bit. They were so close to finding Scar yet so far away at the same time, basically a damned if you do, damned if you don't type of situation. He'd been up since the previous morning, and from the stubble and the circles encasing his hazel eyes, it was obvious.

"Dammit, Roy, why'd you have to have an office so far up off the ground?" he muttered to himself, running down the hall that led to the Colonel's office. Out of breath and tired as hell, he let himself in, taking note of the emptiness of the outer office. "You'd better still be here. I didn't run all this way for nothing," he murmured, pushing open Mustang's door without even a knock.

"Yes, I'm not deaf, you know!" Colonel Mustang shouted into the receiver of the phone, his onyx eyes gleaming brightly, making one wonder if they were the true origin of his State alchemist title. "That's fine! Yes, thank you," he ended the conversation, slamming down the phone. "Yes, Maes, there was an explosion and we're lucky the building didn't crumble," the Colonel stated with utter sarcasm, madness creeping into his orbs.

"Well, thanks for the info, Roy, but I'm one step ahead of you, and I don't think you're going to like it," Hughes announced, his hazel eyes worn with a sleepless night and no coffee to back it up with. "The explosions occurred in the Industrial District, and pretty much everything within a half-mile radius has been blown to bits."

"That's great. Any other good news?" Mustang questioned with a fake smirk as he stood to his feet, preparing for whatever blow was about to hit him.

"In the midst of all the chaos, it appears that the alchemist who performed this wonderful trick had a target in mind," the hazel-eyed man continued, worry coming over his features.

"Full Metal," Roy answered without asking, his tone calm yet there was something else buried in it, Hughes knowing all too well what it was.

"Now we don't have their exact whereabouts, but I do have confirmation that they were seen in the area at the time of the explosion; and they didn't board that 10:15 train either," he concluded, adrenaline rushing through his system, fear wearing at his soul.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" the Colonel suggested, a quiet bitterness to his tone, his eyes aflame.

&&&&&

"Don't move, Al. Okay? Just stay still," Edward soothed as best he could, grimacing as a piece of stone shifted unexpectedly, tearing further into his blood-soaked leg. When all he heard was silence, he continued. "Like when we were kids, and we were on the island trying to catch fish. You remember how still we had to be before we actually caught one?" he tried, pushing back the pain.

"Yeah," Al answered back in a small voice, sounding as though he were on the verge of tears. "We didn't eat for a week," he gave out a weak laugh that was only tortured by a whimper of fear. "Brother, do you think they're going to find us…in time?"

"In time for what? Dinner?" he answered with a joke, trying to lighten his little brother's mood. "Of course they are, but you know how slow Mustang is. You've seen the paper work. It's probably been sitting there for years!" he scoffed, letting a tiny smile crease his lips as a faint laugh befell his ears.

Silence drifted between them after that, for how long, Ed wasn't for sure, but it soon began to wear on his consciousness, he slowly finding himself slipping in and out of it.

"Brother?" Al's voice broke through Ed's half-awake state. "Ed?" he questioned once more when he didn't get a reply.

"Huh? What? Oh, hey," he muttered sleepily, his golden eyes dazed. "You hanging in there?" the blonde asked, his voice suddenly weak and low in volume.

"Yeah, are you? You've been awfully quite. I was starting to get scared there. Be honest, Brother, how bad are those wounds? I know you're hurt, so don't try to deny it," his voice came only feet away from his older brother.

"Just a little scratch on my arm and leg," the thirteen year old replied with a bemused grin, his eyes leisurely closing. "Oh, and my automail's pretty much screwed too," he added with a faint chuckle.

"Brother!" the twelve year old exclaimed, trying not to move his metal body, the edge of the stone hanging dangerously close to his seal. "Brother, you can't fall asleep on me! Brother!" he shouted warningly, a his gloved hand balling into a fist.

"I'm not asleep, Al, so relax," Edward stated quietly, a small but noticeable pout forming on his lips. "I'm just closing my eyes for a minute…" his voice trailed off, his eyes drifting shut.

"Brother!" Alphonse yelled, moving slightly, a grunt emanating from his armor. "Brother!" Al screamed once more, terror in his voice as stone and rock began to move. "Ed, help--" his voice was cut off as the debris pushed further into his chest, the seal starting to break.

&&&&&

The two men made their way into the Industrial Section with accompaniment, a calm but highly-strung Hawkeye and the rest of Mustang's subordinates. The air was still thick with smoke and cement, dust particles clogging anyone's lungs who entered the area, forcing the group to wear masks. Chaos was running amuck through the streets, even with the surplus of troops.

It was a definite disaster area, people's screams and pleads pouring from the debris and caved in buildings. Bodies, some moving, some not moving, were being taken away on stretchers; so many in fact, they had to use make shift ones from anything they could find. Mustang watched as a man was carried away on a mechanist's rolling board, his arms and legs dangling pathetically from it, it obviously being too small to support his whole body.

"Alright, as far as we know, they're both in there somewhere, and more than likely, they're close to one another," the Colonel shouted over the medium of voices that were drifting through the hazy air. "Dig carefully," he warned, a serious look in his eyes. "We don't know what type of situation they managed to get themselves into this time."

Even though there was a sun up there in the midst of the sky, it's warm rays were being shut out by the smoke infested debris sight, making it look more like the remains of Ishbal than Central.

&&&&&

"Brother, are you listening to me?"

Edward snapped away at the sound of his little brother's voice, thankful the dream was just that, a dream. He opened his eyes a little wider, trying in vain to remain in his fully alert stage, though that had been difficult, judging from his last attempt.

"Yeah, Al. Heard every word you said," he mumbled, cold wrapping itself around him. He shivered involuntarily, shock starting to blanket him.

"Then what did I say?" his little brother returned, in a yeah-right tone.

"You know, the usual stuff. Can't wait to get our bodies back and go back home for a little while…" his voice trailed off once more, his eyelids growing increasingly heavy once more.

"No, Brother, that's not what I said," Al stated in a half-angered tone, growing more worried by the second at the state his older brother was in. "I was saying how sorry I was…for getting us into this mess."

"What mess? This isn't nothing compared to what I've gotten us in to before," Edward quipped, the pain starting to dull slightly, the cold hitting him with full force. His small body started to tremble, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. "Hell, this doesn't even compare to me losing you're body!" He tried so hard to make it sound like another cynical, smartass comment; but no matter how it was interpreted, the pain and guilt were still there.

"Ed…" Al's saddened tone filtered through the quiet air. "Don't…"

"Well, it's true, isn't it?" he spat, half-laughing, half-angered, tears brimming at the corners of his dust infested eyes. "Talk about being sorry…" his voice broke, crystalline tears making their way down his dirt-littered cheeks.

"Brother, this isn't your guilt trip to bear this time. It's mine," Al stated, his tone reprimanding. "I got us into this mess. I don't even know why I got so worked up," he explained, his tone laced with confusion. "I guess it's just because…I'm think I'm starting to forget…"

"Forget what?" Ed shot back, unable to wipe the drying tears from his face, his voice still shaky but a bit stronger.

"Things…I don't know!" the exasperated reply came from his little brother. "Just, some of things we used to do when we were kids. And some of the places we used to go. It's almost like it's just starting to fade…"

"Al, that's impossible, and you know it!" Ed returned, trying his best to take Alphonse's mind off of his worries. "Look, maybe the Colonel will lighten up a bit and he'll let us go back to recuperate. All I have to do is say something about my automail and having to go back to fix it!" his voice raised, hoping he was at least minutely cheering up his little brother. Glancing down at his right arm, he added, "Actually, we probably honestly will have to go back there."

"Brother?" Al's distant voice made it to Ed's ears, even though he was so close to him.

"Yeah, Al?" he asked, trying to ignore the sound of his automail arm clanking quietly, the nerves going haywire.

"Do you still think about her?"

"About Mom?" Ed asked, unsure, gritting his teeth as a sharp pain made its way through his leg.

"Yeah," was Al's simple reply, his voice sounding even fainter than before.

Ed was silent for a minute, contemplating his words. "Yeah, I do," his tiny voice came out in a whisper, the little strength that he had conjured up starting to vanish. "Almost every night before I go to sleep. I think I can still hear her voice, telling us stories…" His eyes were growing heavy again, the last little bit of adrenaline slipping away.

"I think I do too…"

Faint shouts whispered through their hearing. Something about, _"Colonel! Over here! I think I found them!" _

_Sounds like Havoc_… the weary thought made its way around Ed's head before sleep came to whisk him away. He didn't wait around to hear what Mustang had to say.

**Yes, this was a totally pointless one-shot. Hope you all enjoyed it! O.o.**


End file.
